This book is beautifully written and is so descriptive, but I could just not get into it. The author writes with such beautiful descriptions and imagery that you feel as if you are in each setting. The symbolism and “magic” within the book gave it this wonderful romantic/gothic vibe. I also felt it had a good mix of gothic horror in it- some parts were a big creepy and made you jump- but it balanced out overall well.
My biggest complaint with the story was that I didn’t feel that I could connect with the characters. Many of my complaints come towards the end of the book so they will be listed below in the spoilers section. I don’t think my review should be off putting towards others that are drawn to it because it was so beautifully written, I just think it wasn’t for me.

Spoilers below:

I felt like Hugo wasn’t a good enough “villain” for this story. Yes he could perform these rituals, but it felt like he wasn’t powerful enough that they couldn’t overcome him at earlier stages. I also felt like Alastair had an odd growth throughout the book. At the beginning he was so off put by Lark and we didn’t really get a good answer for this. Yes, we saw some depth to his character related to his trauma, but I didn’t feel like it gave a satisfying understanding as to why he was so rude when she visited in the present day. I also didn’t enjoy the love triangle (square?). It felt forced and I guess I just didn’t understand how she would be with Therion/Alastair and Camille.

Thank you to Henry Holt and Company and NetGalley for this advanced reader copy. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

4/5 stars
“…the worst hurt doesn’t always come with open violence. Instead, there is tenderness before you’re devoured.”

Achingly romantic, gothic, with a dash of horror, Tenderly, I am Devoured is a story of self-discovery that explores what it means love, and to trust, after to heartbreak and betrayal. Lacrimosa Arriscane (Lark) returns to her home in Verse following expulsion from Marchmain Academy and the loss of her long time dream. Instead of arriving to the warm, comfort of home. Lark learns that her family is on the brink of financial ruin and expect to lose the family home and wild land surrounding it. In a desparate attempt to save them, she agrees to marry the chthonic god worshipped by the people of Verse, Therion. When their betrothal is violently interrupted, Lark begins to slip from time, and possibly the mortal realm. To save herself, and her God, Lark must work with her former childhood friends, the Felimath siblings: Alastair who broke her heart and Camille who left for boarding school as a child and hadn’t returned. The violence that threatened Lark at her proposal continues to haunt her and the three must lay their truths bare in order to stop it.

The most moving and painful parts for me were the sections detailing the events that led to Lark’s expulsion from Marchmain. My heart ached recalling how it felt during experiences of trying so hard to keep the love of someone as you feel the distance grow. The denial and the pain of watching something you kept on a pedestal tumble to the earth and shatter into sharp unfixable fragments. Then placing of blame onto one’s self for your lowest moments as if the decision to give our love and trust wreaked ruin instead of the person we gifted our vulnerability to.

This wasn’t a full 5 star read for me because as much as I loved the lyrical prose, there were some plot points that moved a bit slowly and others that seemed to move exceedingly fast (e.g., Camille). That said, this book was beautiful and I would not hesitate to pick it up again.

This story features a polyamorous relationship that I was nervous wouldn’t work. While I do think one of the two relationships with Lark was stronger, it worked overall and thankfully there were no interaction involving both siblings.
Trigger Warnings: Touch on parent/child physical abuse

Thank you to Lyndall Clipstone, Macmillan Children’s Publishing Group/Henry Holt and Co., and NetGalley for the eARC in exchange for an honest review.

🖤🦢

The story evelops us in that stunningly poetic atmosphere of swans, stormy ocean, and chthonic myths. I drowned in it and didn't want to come back.

Loved how the past and the present timelines etwined, showing different, both dreamy, colores. There was the smell of salt, the whisper of waves and cries of swans. There were art gallery quiet halls, noisy university corridoes, and busy city streets. Every emotion, every sound, smell, or touch shuddered through me, singing to the soul.

It was missing possible speed on the plot part. Not much happened in the first half of the book and there were long periods without events further. Although the lack of bright exitment and fast events added a lot to the pastel dream of the general mood.

The characters are impossible not to fell in love with. They share the aesthetics with the story, perfectly navigating its waves. Their names, connectons, and stories became gentle wandering clouds in my mind

- - -
Thanks to NetGalley and Macmillan Children's Publishing Group for providing me with this free eARC in exchange for my honest review!

THIS BOOK RUINED ME - it was beautiful, lyrical and oh so hauntingly tragic.
I loved the love story between the main characters and the slowly unfolding past that blends into the current events perfectly.
Love bloomed here unexpectedly and yet the yearning, the years of waiting was clearly there. It was scary, emotional and kept me turning page by page. I still cannot wrap my head around the last 2 chapters, and i urge everyone to read this book!

Lyndall is a writer to follow, her words are achingly sweet and poisonously addictive!🦢🎀🌊

Tenderly, I Am Devoured is an atmospheric story with tales of Cthonic gods that fans of A Study of Drowning will surely appreciate. The writing was lovely, and reading it felt like I was thrown directly into the story, tasting salt on my lips just the same as the main characters did and feeling swept away by the pacing of the story, much like the waves of the ocean described.
The story initially gripped me with its immersion, and I found myself glued to the pages, eager for more. However, as we progressed, I didn't find myself as engrossed as I was initially due to a few factors:
- The polycule relationship between Lacrimosa, Alistair and Camille was not what I'd quite define a polycule to me, but this may be an interpretation that I might just not be aware of. I view polyamorous relationships to be ones where all parties are involved romantically with one another. Setting aside the familial relationship between Alistair and Camille, it felt more like them taking turns with her and less like a cohesive relationship.
- I felt like the conflict between the Felimaths was not quite as explored as I'd have liked. It was a complicated relationship, and looking more into the reasons would be interesting to explore to understand motivations better.
- I would also have liked to see more of Henry and Oberon, for their personalities to be shown more to us rather than told in passing and to look at how Lacrimosa and her family share their dynamic.

The writing style of this author and their ability to set the scene really is spectacular and the premise of the story is very interesting, however I do wish it had been executed slightly differently by looking further into certain aspects of the story for the readers to really gain a good grip of what was going on and the dynamics between the characters.

Thank you to the author, Penguin Random House and Netgalley for the early copy. All opinions are my own.

I loved the story, the world building and meeting the different characters. I felt completely immersed in the story and couldn't stop reading it.

I really wanted to live this but it was just ok. I couldn’t get into this as much as I wanted but it was still pretty good.

{Thank you to NetGalley for the ARC}
ugh i wanted to enjoy this so badly, the imagery and the world building was so utterly beautiful and captivating but unfortunately that was the only redeeming part of this story. first off, labeling this as a folk horror feels very misleading, this was not a horror in any way shape or form. second off, i was very intrigued to read about this as it was said to be a polyamorous bisexual romance, that it was, HOWEVER, i was unaware that the polyamorous relationship was going to include siblings….it felt very weird. lastly, i am so tired of fantasy books making freshly 18 year old girls “fated” to be with thousand year old gods, its weird, please stop i beg!!!

This was a hauntingly folkloric tale about longing, as well as heartbreak and redemption. It also delves into the expectations placed on us by family, what sacrifices we make for those we love, and what it means to be a dutiful child. It was somehow complex, and not at the same time.

The prose is exquisite, and the book is well written and easy to follow, until about 62% in (yes, I know that’s specific). It was the first point where I thought “huh, that sounds pretty, but it doesn’t make sense”. That’s when I think this started to unravel a bit for me. There was still a fantastic story being told, it just didn’t feel totally cohesive from that point forward.

That said, Lark’s character showed wonderful development, as did Alastair. Camille could have been fleshed out a bit more but I understand the difficulty since she wasn’t present for the entire novel. I don’t think there was a single character that felt irrelevant to the story.

***Spoiler - The romance aspects were innocent and beautiful. While Camille and Alastair are both involved with Lark there was no giant “ick” factor for me. I can see though how that might turn some people away from this great story.

This book has a strong concept and a lot of elements that I enjoy. But I think I would have really enjoyed this book more when I was a teenager. There was a melodrama to the writing and the relationships that felt very adolescent. I don't necessarily think it was bad, just personally it was a bit over the top for me. I think those sensitive souls who romanticize everything and live for yearning and infatuation are going to eat this up. I remember being 14 and having crushes on everyone, and our protagonist has feelings for/hooks up with 4 different people in this one short book and two of those people are related to each other. It was just a lot for me.

I wish there was a more focus on the gods and world building. The father and the cultists were lacked depth and nuance. They felt very one dimensional. The father's dialogue especially was very mustache twirly.

Thank you to netgalley for an ARC of this book. I was so excited to read this and I expected to absolutely love it. Unfortunately, that’s not what happened.

Spoiler alert….

Nothing really happens until the last third of the book. The characters are not well developed. I wanted to root for the FMC and the boy next door but I felt their romantic relationship was diluted by her romantic feelings towards his sister and her friend from school. I didn’t understand the need for the majority of character’s relationships to be complicated by romantic feelings.

That aside, the writing itself is well done and the plot interesting. It just lacked in execution for me

Came for the cover, stayed for the plot.

The atmosphere in this book is brilliant. I thought the prose and descriptions managed to capture the gothic tones well and the vibes were *chefs kiss*.

Tenderly, I Am Devoured is about a Lark, an orphan from the cliffsides of Verse. After returning home from school in disgrace, she decides to help her older brother's debts by marrying...you guessed it, an old chthonic god. When her betrothal goes wrong, Lark must seek help from her friend-turned enemy: Alastair Felimath, and his older sister Camille.

I went into this book blind, and came out presently surprised. The prose is wonderful, especially for a YA novel, and manages to stay engaging throughout the book. I tend not to be the biggest fan of multiple lover interests/why choose, but I thought it worked quite well in the context of this book.

I would recommend checking this out, especially if you've liked books like A Study in Drowning or Where the Dark Stands Still.

This book was a great palate cleanser and an easier read than I anticipated it being—in a good way. Highly recommend!

Gently, I Am Devoured is a dense, haunting, and utterly absorbing gothic romantasy that clings like salt on the tongue and the scent of flowers on the wind. Lyndall Clipstone has woven a tale as eerie as it is beautiful, with chthonic gods, storm-lashed romance, and a slow-burning sense of dread that will not release.

Lacrimosa (Lark) Arriscane is a beautifully-written heroine—gentle but firm, lost but in search of herself in a world that seems determined to devour her whole. Having been expelled from her posh school and returning to a home drowning in debt, she gets mixed up with the enigmatic Felimath siblings—Alastair, the aloof and tormented boy who broke her heart all those years ago, and Camille, his kind and compassionate sister. But when her marriage of convenience to the sea god Therion confines her to his side, she is drawn into a world far larger than her own, where survival, sacrifice, and love are intertwined.

The mood of the book is nothing less than breathtaking. Clipstone's prose is as beautiful as ever, with imagery of crashing waves, creeping vegetation, and dark cave systems that are both alien and foreboding. The love affair—an intense, matted-up dynamic between Lark and both Felimath brothers—is never forced or clumsy, but instead unfolds organically, with yearning, tenderness, and muted despair.

For those who enjoy A Study in Drowning and despaired that Saltburn didn't have eldritch sea deities, this book is for you. It walks the tightrope between gothic horror and romantic fantasy to produce a reading experience that is as spooky as it is poignantly romantic. Worldbuilding is dense, the characters are well-rounded, and the building tension becomes a stunning and satisfying payoff.

5/5 stars—a floral gothic masterpiece.

A beautiful story that kept me itching to pick it back up and be once again transported into its world. I love a book set in a fantasy world that parallels ours, yet very much isn't. Tenderly I Am Devoured is just that and how lovely it was. The world building of mid-twentieth century technology, mythology, and heady, immersive atmosphere drew me and kept me captive. I loved the characters, cheering for them until the last page. The author's voice was crystal clear, keeping me utterly entranced. I wish I could read it again for the first time. I would recommend this book to anyone who loves a soft, aching love story, a setting that is dreamlike yet is grounded in reality, and characters who feel like friends. Fans of A Study in Drowning and even a fantastical version of Brideshead Revisited (one of my all-time favorite novels), will enjoy cuddling up with TID.

4.5 ⭐ (rounded up to 5)

This book was like a fever dream and I mean that as the highest of compliments. I adore the way Lyndall Clipstone writes. Her prose is lyrical and beautiful and immerses you in her worlds immediately.

Lark was extremely relatable in that I too think that maybe if I marry a Chthonic swan god and spend half the year in the underworld maybe that will solve all my problems.

The story is told in “then” and “now” flashbacks, getting glimpses of what put Lark on the path she’s on - with Alastair, with her life at school and with her brothers. Slowly illuminating why she holds such resentment toward Alastair and what she’s running away from. I only wish we’d gotten more glimpses of Lark, Alastair and Camille in the “then” times.

If you like atmospheric books with soft characters and quietly unhinged behavior, I highly recommend picking this up.

Thank you to Macmillan & NetGalley for this e-arc!

3,5 it was a nice idea love the writing felt very atmospheric. But the flash backs well some of them were very unnecessary and the rythme of the book felt slow at some moment. Never read a book about polyamours and well I didn’t like it. Let me explain the fact that lark was with a brother and his sister was weird to me. Not that anything happen with all of them at the same time but I still felt weird out (yes I have two brothers and that weird me out so much) I think if they all were not related I would have love it more. The plot is very predictable but it was the highlight of the book , and the atmosphere gothic romantic.

There isn’t any horror to this even though it’s promoted as such. I also couldn’t get into it, the world building feels quite flat. The characters feel as if they’re too similar to each other and at times I forgot who was who when names weren’t said. Just overall a forgettable book to me

I enjoyed this book, though I do have concerns.

Story wise, I loved the premise. At first I thought it was going to follow a Hades and a Persephone vibe, and I was happy that it related in the sense of Lark would be with Therion for 6 months. The author put a really creative twist on it by making it more than just a mortal in love with a god. Lark and Therion are bound to each other, she is his mortal anchor. I found myself surprised at self twists when I thought I knew how it was going to twist!

Now for concerns I have - this book is listed as YA and on Barnes and Noble says it is recommended for ages 14-18. I do feel that the book has adult themes in it when it comes to the romantic interests in the book. While I’m not against YA books that visit LGBTQ+ relationships, I do think introducing polyamorous relationships is a little much. I didn’t like that Lark’s romantic feelings seemed to be so…I’m not sure how to explain it. It seemed like we were introduced to Damson in a way that immediately alluded to Lark being attracted to her. Right away it’s clear that Lark also had some kind of feelings for Alastair, so much so I was sure he was the love interest. But as soon as we meet adult Camille, park immediately has feelings for her. So for me, there was no growth towards feelings. It’s great that Lark so openly accepted the fact that she had feelings for both Camille and Alastair, I just don’t think polyamory should be in books recommended for young adults.

Thank you to NetGalley, the author Lyndall Clipstone and to the publisher Macmillan Children’s Group for the digital ARC, it has not affected my honest review.

Release date: 1st July 2025 (UK and US)

TW: body horror, death, grief, blood, injury, references to suicidal ideation, abuse, horror

‘Tenderly I Am Devoured’ is the newest standalone from the brilliant Lyndall Clipstone, pulling the reader into the salt sprayed and isolated world of Lacrimosa Arriscane after she is expelled from school and sent home in disgrace to her family. Born and raised beside the beach and cliffs, Lark returns to her house to discover her brothers on the verge of financial ruin, crippled by debts made by their dead parents to the Felimath family, who live in the enormous mansion named Saltswan. Once upon a time Lark and the Felimath siblings were best friends, but not anymore: Alistair broke Lark’s heart and Camille vanished to finishing school. Desperate to save her family’s livelihood, Lark makes a deal to become the bride of Therion, the swan god worshipped by Lark’s hometown, to be taken away to his realm for six months a year. However, her betrothal goes wrong and Lark soon finds herself caught between the furious Therion and reality, fading away from the real world. There’s only one option to help her: the Felimath siblings, and as they dive into the stories of ancient folklore full of gods and monsters while fleeing a religious sect called the Sea Pirates, Lark falls in love with both siblings at the same time. Attempting a ritual to repair the connection between Therion and Lark before she can be lost forever, the Felimaths and Lark accidentally bring something through that is much more deadly.

I was a huge fan of this author’s ‘Lakesedge’ and ‘Forestfall’ so I was delighted to get an ARC for this book, especially because I loved the idea of a complicated polyamorous relationship dynamic, a Gothic setting and world and a woman engaged out of desperation to a god. Lyndall Clipstone has such a dreamy way of writing, it’s like being caught up in a fairytale and there’s always a sense of unreality lurking on the edges. I loved Lark from page one, she’s really struggling since being expelled from her elite school and returning to her home brings back memories best left in the past. She’s got so much to deal with and in a moment of pure desperation, turns to Therion to save her family’s salt mine. Her connection with Alastair and Camille is fraught with old hurts and childhood love turned into something more, I liked how things weren’t simple or easily defined between Lark and the siblings. Camille is softer while Alistair is harsher but they both understand Lark perfectly. The worldbuilding is beautiful, I found that you could feel the sea and the flickering candles down in the cave where they worship Therion. Some of the moments in this book are horror and Gothic at their finest while merging seamlessly with the YA genre. This is a really original take on love and romance, on religion and worship and on identity and self belief- Lyndall Clipstone has written something truly beautiful, terrifying, raw and aching, I loved it and raced through it in a few days.